Continuous inking device for inking ribbon



Nov. 13, 1956 J. P. KNIGHT CONTINUOUS mxmc DEVICE FOR INKING RIBBON Filed Nov. 17, 1953 will ln'VENTOR. JOHN P KAI/6H7 BY a wgm zww f/ENE K5.

United States Patent CONTINUOUS INKING DEVICE FOR INKING RIBBON John P. Knight, Detroit, Mich.

Application November 17, 1953, Serial No. 392,564

9 Claims. (Cl. 118-260) This invention relates to a device for continuously furnishing ink to the inking ribbon on a printing machine.

This invention is especially adapted for use with a type of printing machine which has one or more plates embossed with the characters to be printed on a material such as paper and in which the ink is provided by an ink-impregnated ribbon interposed between the plate and the material. The ink in the ribbon becomes exhausted in normal use and the ribbon must be discarded, even though the fabric of the ribbon is still whole, unless means are provided for replenishing the ink. Patent Number 2,645,202 Device for Supplying Ink to Ribbons, issued to this applicant on July 14, 1953, discloses a device for continually replenishing the ink in a ribbon, thereby prolonging its useful life.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved ink replenishing device. The device has an ink reservoir and wick means for inking a transfer roller, the roller transferring the ink to the ribbon. The invention lies generally in providing simple, inexpensive structure whereby the contact pressures between the wick means and the transfer roller and between the transfer roller and the ribbon are controlled by independent yieldable means, thereby insuring a steady, even supply of ink to the ribbon despite wear in the parts of the device and small irregularities in their operation. One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device of this invention in use on a printing machine.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view of an ink cartridge arm and clip.

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of the invention.

Shown in the drawings is a portion of a printing machine 1 having a spool or reel 2 rotatably mounted thereon and carrying an inking ribbon 3. The device of this invention has a frame 5 mounted on the printing machine 1 by such means as bolts 6. The frame has a projection 7 extending away from the printing machine. Two laterally extending and apertured portions of the projection 7 provide bearing elements 8.

An arm 10 having an ink transfer roller 11 journalled thereon is pivotally mounted on the frame. For this purpose the arm 19 may have an integral bracket portion 12 with apertured projections 13 embracing the bearing elements 8 (Fig. 2). The apertures in the projections 13 and bearing elements 8 are aligned and a pin 14 extends therethrough so that the arm 10 is freely pivotable on the frame 5. Yieldable means are provided for urging the ink transfer roller 11 against the inking ribbon 3 and these means may include a tensioned coil spring 16 connected between the roller arm 10 and an extension 17 on the frame 5 as shown in Fig. 1.

Another arm 20 is pivoted on the frame 5 coaxially with the roller arm 10 by such means as a sleeve 21 thereon which engages the pivot pin 14 between the bearing elements 8 on the frame. Fixed on the arm 20 is a clip 22 for frictionally holding an inking cartridge 23. The sleeve 21 and clip 22 may be welded to the cartridge arm 20 as shown at 24 (Fig. 3).

The inking cartridge includes a reservoir 25 vented as shown at 27 (Fig. 1), an elongate nozzle 28 and a wick 29 which conducts ink from the reservoir to the nozzle outlet by capillarity. The cartridge may be slidably removed from the clip 22 and replaced when empty. A portion of the nozzle is cut away as shown in Fig. l to expose a portion of the wick 29 for contact with the ink trans-fer roller 11. Yieldable means are provided for urging the Wick 29 against the transfer roller 11 and these means preferably include a coil spring 30 connected under tension between the cartridge arm 20 and the frame as shown in Fig. 1.

In use, the device of this invention is mounted on the printing machine 1 with the ink transfer roller 11 engaging the inking ribbon 3 and with the exposed portion of a wick 29 engaging the transfer roller. As the ribbon 3 moves during the printing operation, it frictionally turns the roller 11. The roller surface is wiped by the ink-saturated wick 29 and is thereby coated with ink. The coated surface rotates into contact with the ribbon which absorbs the ink from the roller. The roller follows the ribbon continuously under the yieldable action of the coil spring 16 despite irregularities in the ribbon or in its movement.

After the wick 29 has been pressed against transfer roller 11 over a period of time it may become compressed or partly worn away, but under action of the coil spring 30 the pivoted cartridge arm 20 is rotated to keep the wick in operative engagement with the roller. The inking ribbon is thus uninterruptedly replenished Wi ink during the printing operation.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 a roller arm 40 ad a cartridge arm 41 are pivoted separately on modified bearing elements 42 as shown at 43 and 44 and the axes about which the two arms rotate are preferably parallel. The ink transfer roller 11 is urged against the inking robbon 3 by a tensioned coil spring 45 connected to the roller arm and a projection 46 on the frame 47. The wick 29 is urged against the roller 11 by a tensioned coil spring 48 connected to the cartridge arm 41 and a portion 49 of the frame 47.

The parts are so arranged that the radii of rotation of the inking roller and the exposed portion of the wick 29 are unequal and to this end the cartridge arm 41 may be shorter than the roller arm 40 as shown. When the ink transfer roller 11 rotates in following the surface of the inking ribbon 3 as ribbon is wound onto or off of the reel 2, the roller traverses the exposed portion of the wick 29, thus eliminating excessive compression or Wear on any local region of the wick.

This action is illustrated in Fig. 4. In the relative position of the parts shown in solid lines the spool of inking ribbon is relatively small and the transfer roller contacts the wick near its outer end as shown at 50. As ribbon is wound onto the reel 2 and the size of the spool increases, the parts shift to the positions shown in broken lines, the roller 11 rotating upwardly and to the right as Fig. 4 is viewed while the wick rotates generally upwardly, the roller thus traversing the wick. In this position, the roller contacts the inner end of the exposed portion of the wick as shown at 51. When ribbon is again wound off of the reel the parts return to the solid line position, the roller again traversing the wick.

This structure eliminates excessive compression and wear on any local region of the wick and insures steady, uniform inking of the transfer roller 11 and inkingribbon 3,

I claim:

1. A ribbon inking device comprising, a frame adapted onthe frame and carrying an ink transfer roller, aspring interconnecting the roller arm and frame for yieldably urging the transfer roller against an inking ribbon on the printingmachine, a cartridge arm pivoted on the frame for-movement in substantially the same'plane as the roller arm, the cartridge arm carrying an'ink supply cartridge hav-ingan ink reservoir andmeans including a wick for inking said transfer roller, and a spring interconnecting said cartridge arrniand frame yieldingly urging a portionof said wick against said transfer roller.

2. A ribbon inking device comprising, a frame adapted for-mounting on a printing machine, a'roller arm .pivoted -on-:the-frame and carrying an ink transfer roller, a coil spring -on said-frame and roller arm for yieldably urging the transfer roller against an inking'ribbon on the print- Zing machine-,a-cartridge arm pivoted on the frame for movement'in substantially the same plane as the roller arm, a clip on the cartridge arm for removably receiving and carrying an ink supply cartridge havingcan ink reservoir andrneans including a wick for inking said-transfer roller, and a second coil spring on said-frame and cartridge arm yieldably urging a portion of said wick against said transfer roller.

3. .A ribbon inking device comprising, a frame adapted for mounting on a printing machine, a roller arm pivoted on-the frame and carrying an ink transfer roller, means on said roll-er arm for yieldably urging the transfer roller against-an inking ribbon on the printing machine, a cartridge arm pivoted on the frame coaxially with said roller arm, the cartridge arm carrying an ink supply cartridge having an ink reservoir and means including a wick for inking said transfer roller, and means on said cartridge arm yi'eldably urging a portion of said wick againstsaid transfer roller.

4. A- ribbon inking device comprising, a frame adapted for mounting on a printing machine, a roller arm pivoted on the frame and carrying an ink transfer roller, means on 'said frame and roller arm for yieldably urging the transfer roller against an inking ribbon on the printing rnachine, a cartridge arm pivoted on the frame coaxially with said roller arm, the cartridge arm carrying an ink supply cartridge having an ink reservoir and means including a wick for inking said transfer roller, and means on-said frame and cartridge arm yieldably urging a portion of said wick against said transfer roller.

5. A ribbon inking device comprising, a frame adapted for mounting on a printing machine, a roller arm pivoted on the frame and carrying an ink transfer roller, a coil spring on said frame and roller arm for yieldably urging the transfer roller against an inking ribbon on the printingmachine, a cartridge arm pivoted on the frame co axially with said roller arm, the cartridge arm carrying an ink supply cartridge having an ink reservoir and means including a Wick for inking said transfer roller, and a second-coil spring on said frame and cartridge arm yieldably urging a portion of said wick against said transfer roller.

6. A ribbon inking device comprising, a frame adapted for mounting on a printing machine, a roller arm pivoted on the frame and carrying an ink transfer roller, means on said roller arm for yieldably urging the transfer roller against-an inking ribbon on the printing machine, a cartridge arm pivoted on the frame for movement in substantially the same plane as the roller arm, the cartridge .armcarrying an ink supply cartridge having an ink reserforrmou'nting on a printing machine, a roller 'arrii pivoted voir and'means including a wick for inking said transfer roller, and means I011 said cartridge arm yieldably urging a portion of said wick against said transfer roller, the roller arm pivot and cartridge arm pivot being spaced apart, said parts being so arranged that the lengths of the radii of rotation of said roller and said portion are different, whereby said noller traverses said portion upon pivotal motion of said'roller arm.

7. A ribbon inking device comprising, a frame adapted for mounting on a printing machine, a roller arm pivoted on the frame and carrying an ink transfer roller, means on said roller arm for'yieldably urging the transfer roller against an inking ribbon on the printing machine, a cartridge pivoted on 'thefrarne'for movement in substantially the same plane as the roller arm, the cartridge arm carrying an ink supply cartridge having an ink reservoir and means including a Wick for inking said transfer roller, and means on said cartridge arm yieldably urging a-portion of said wick against said transfer roller, the roller arm pivot and cartridge arm pivot being spaced apart, said parts being so arranged that the length of the radius of rotation of said cartridge arm is less than that of said roller arm, whereby said roller traverses said portion up'on pivotal motion of said roller arm.

8. A ribbon inking device comprising, a frame adapted for mounting on a printing machine, a roller arm pivoted on the frame and carrying an ink transfer roller, means on said frame and roller arm for yieldably urging the transfer 'roller against an inking ribbon on the printing machine, 'a cartridge arm pivoted on the frame for movement in substantially the same plane as the roller arm, the cartridge arm carrying an ink supplying cartridge having an ink reservoir and means including a wick for inking said transfer roller, and means on said frame and cartridge arm yieldably urging a portion of said wick against-said transfer roller, the holler arm pivot and cartridge arm pivot being spaced apart, said parts being so arranged that the lengths of the radii of rotation of said roller and said portion are different, whereby said roller traverses said portion upon pivotal motion of said roller 9. A ribbon inking device comprising, a frame adapted for mounting on a printing machine, a roller arm pivoted on the framecand carrying an ink transfer roller, a coil spring on said frame and roller arm for yieldably urging the transfer roller against an inking ribbon on the printin'g machine, a cartridge arm pivoted on the frame for movement in substantially the same plane as the roller arm, the cartridge airm :carrying an ink supply cartridge having an ink reservoir and means including a Wick for inking said transfer roller, and a second coil spring on said frame and cartridge arm yieldably urging a portion of said wick against said transfer roller, the roller arm pivot and cartridge arm pivot being spaced apart, said parts being so arranged that the lengths of the radii of rotation of said roller and said portion are different, whereby said roller traverses said portion upon pivotal motion of said roller arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,358,083 Lasker Nov. 9, 1920 2,526,57r- Markes on. 17, 1950 2,58 ,548 Markos Mar. 11, 1952 2,645,202; Knight July 14, 1953 

